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Local teachers may be forced to spend more of their own money on school supplies next year, now that a federal tax break is about to expire.

Teachers are able to deduct up to $250 on what they spend on classrooms supplies including workbooks, pencils, and posters. Congress hasn\’t passed a measure that would extend that tax break into 2014. Teachers shopping at The Three R\’s in Rockford say if the benefits went away, they\’d still buy supplies for their classrooms, but this could affect their personal spending.

\”I teach with a passion and I want to provide different perks for my kids,\” said Joe Kowalski, an ESL teacher at Marsh Elementary. \”I\’m in this profession because I love it, I love working with the kids and making the world a better place. And if I lose the $250 deduction, it\’ll hurt me more on a personal level then on a professional level.\”

The National Education Association estimates that teachers spend an average of $400 annually on supplies.